Shoe-lacing-holding clasp.



No."779,710. PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. A. M. HENDERSON.

SHOE LAGING HOLDING CLASP.

nruonxon FILED JAN. 13, 1903.

WELF'LEEEEE ITL'Y/ETTEDY;

Patented January 10, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

ANNIE MAY HENDERSON, OF WORCESTER,

MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-LACING-HOLDING CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 779,710, dated January 10, 1905.

Application filed January 13, 1903. Serial No. 138,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANNIE MAY HENDERSON, Of the city and county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe Lacing- Holding Clasps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents the upper part of a shoe and its lacing with 'my improved clasp attached thereto. Fig. 2 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a central vertical section taken on line a, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. All the following figures are shown upon the same enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a cletached plan view of the clasp. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section therethrough taken on line 6, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 5 is a side or edge view of the clasp with the hinged top shown closed and open by full and dotted lines, respectively.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective means for fastening the terminal tied ends of the shoe-lacings from untying and also to provide a neat and tasteful ornament over the knot of said shoe-lac- Ings.

Said invention consists in combining with the tongue and lacings of a shoe a holdingclasp having a base provided with means for fastening it to the tongue and arranged to come under the knot of the shoe-lacing and a hinged top arranged to fit over said knot and the ends of the lacings, said top being provided with a spring-bearing and with inwardlyprojecting spurs at each end, adapted to pierce the ends of the lacings at each side of the knot to hold them so that the knot will not untie, said top also being formed at the center to receive the knot, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that others may better understand the nature and purpose of my said invention,

will now proceed to describe it more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, A represents the upper part of a shoe; B, the lacing thereof tied in a knotO at the top; D, the tongue of said shoe, and E my im proved clasp for hold ing said knot from untying, as previously stated.

As is well known by all wearers of laceshoes, the lacings are constantly becoming untied, this being especially the case with low shoes, and to overcome this objection is the purpose of my invention. I accomplish said result by clamping the tied portion of the lacing to the tongue of the shoe, so that it cannot pull out and untie, by means of the clasp E, which is constructed as follows: A base 0, comprising a sheet-metal disk, is provided with holding-pins c, projecting at right angles from its back side and adapted to be passed through the tongue and turned down against the inner surface thereof to hold the base to said tongue, as is shown in Fig. 2. To one side of said base is hinged at (Z a top plate 6, havinga central opening f to receive the shoe-lacing knot O. It is also provided at each horizontal end with inwardly-projecting spurs g, which pierce the ends of the lacing at eachside of the knot when said clasp is closed and hold the same so that the knot cannot be accidentally untied. The top part is provided with a spring-hinge to hold it in place when closed, as is shown by full lines in the drawings, and at the same time admit of its being opened or unclasped, as is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, to allow the knot to be untied and the shoe unlaced. Said springhinge is constructed as follows: The base cis provided with two bearing-studs c 0 whose outer ends fit between ears 6 a e 0, formed on the inner side of said plate, a longitudinal opening being formed through all the parts to receive a pivot-pin d. Between the inner ears is arranged a flat curved spring it, fastened rigid to and so as to move with the top plate when the latter is swung on its pivot or hinge. Said spring is arranged to come a little back of the center of the pivot when the clasp is closed, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and therefore holds the top plate down in its closed position until forcibly raised and swung over to reach and untie the shoe-lacing.

As will be apparent, my improved device is very simple in construction, while at the same time effective, and fills a long-felt want which will be appreciated by all who wear laced shoes, as the untying of the lacings is now a source of constant annoyance and trouble.

I do not, of course, limit myself to the spe cific form of clasp, as the same may be made of various shapes without departing -from the principle of my invention, the essential features of which are the base made attachable to the tongue of the shoe and the top plate hinged thereto provided with spurs for bolding the ends of the lacings at each side of the knot and also made so as to receive said knot at the center.

The device is not only useful for the purpose described, but may also be made to serve as an ornament tothe shoe by making the same of ornamental design and material, it being especially adaptedfor this purpose on ladies low shoes, and may thus be made to serve the double purpose of a clasp to hold the lacing from untying and as an ornament to take the place of the usual buckles so commonly Worn. Another advantage of my improved clasp is to hold the tongue D in place.

Having now described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the upper, the tongue and lacings of a shoe, with a metal clasp for holding said lacings from untying, comprising in combination the base 0, provided with boldingpins 0 for attaching said base to the tongue of the shoe, top plate a, hinged at (Z to base 0, and having a central opening f to receive the lacing-knot (I, also provided at each horizontal end with inwardly-projecting spurs g, adapted to pierce and hold the lacing at each side of said knot when the clasp is closedand spring it formed upon or secured to top plate!) at its hinged point (Z, and adapted to bear when the clasp is closedagainst the sur- "face of base 0 outside of a line central'with said hinged point, and at right angles to said base, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ANNIE MAY HENDERSON. WVitnesses:

WALTER B. NoURsE, EVERETT N. BARKER. 

